Method of and apparatus for treating boiler water



Nov. 28, 1944. c. w. RICE 2,363,622

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING BOILER WATER Filed June 1.0, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ma ma/L Nov. 28, 1944. c. w. RICE 2,363,522

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING BOILER WATER Filed June 10, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 'Nov. 28, 1944. c. w. RICE 2,363,622

' METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING BOILER WATER Filed June 10, 3 s t s t 3 0 FIG. T/lz.

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' Sui/vow Rfiauuran as To Ba/Lzn F7550 PUMP 771 4 5 77"WL08 wm Patented Nov. 28, 1944 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS TOR-TREAT- 'ING BOILER 'wA'rEn Cyrus W. Pitts burgh, 12a. ApplicationJune 1o, 1942,'SerialNo. 446,428

n-claims. (cram- 29) This invention relates to a method of and ja'pparatus for treating boiler water.v

An object of my invention is to provide a method by which a treating composition for boiler water in theform of .a solution or suspen- H5 sion of the material may be supplied to boiler feed water, or to boilers, gradually over substantially extended and relatively spaced periods of supply; 'thus increasing the effectiveness of any quired to maintain boiler "water conditions favorable for preventing scale formation'inthei-boiler. Another object of my invention, desirably as gradual supply of treating material during rela-' 'tively spaced periods,lis the automatic regulation of the recurrence and duration of the supply periods. i

In past practice boiler-treating .c ompounds zo havebeen suppliedwastefully-to boiler water and to boilers. It is possible to calculate the theoretical quantities'of various boiler-treating materials and compounds which should be carried of boiler treating! compounds, which are sus ceptible of introduction into boiler water in the form of ,a viscous or pasty solution or suspension. Itfis clearly to be understood, however thatmy present invention is not'limite'd to a boiler-treating material, .or class of materials, of any particular chemical constitution.

An apparatus organization exemplary of those which may "he "used in practicing the method 'of given "quantity of the treating material, and 19 my invention is shown "in the accompanying economizing in the total quantity or materialredrawings, in which;

:Fig. I is iaschema'tic 'elevational View showing an apparatus arrangement by which boilertreatinfg material is taken automatically in ap- "hereinafter shown operatively combin'edjwith the 1,5 portioned amountsat uniformly sp dt m in- ;tervals o'fcequal length from a source" of supply, and is 'delivered'to and detained in such relation to a flowing stream of water passing to a boiler, or'bank of boilersfithat it isj'taken'up in distrib-' 'uted condition by and in the boiler feed water, for delivery to the boiler fineand approxi- 'mately-uniform dispersion. l l

Fig. II isa diagrammatic plan viewof a bank .of boilers having branch connections to a comin a boiler on the basis of the composition of the ,555 mon "conduit :0 eader in to which boiler-treatboiler water and boiler concentrates. Such calculations are-50f no substantial value, however, if the boiler-treating material is introduced in slugs in accordance with the prior practice;

ing material may be introduced in accordance withmynovel method.

Fig. "III is a view on 'a scale larger than that .of Fig. I showing .a conduit for allowing stream because it is in such case necessary to introduceifio of boiler feed water, and distributor organized large excess'of the'treating material in'order to compensate-for exhaustion *of'theimaterial in the intervals between slug introductions, and to make up for the relative inefliciency of the material resulting from its in the water. j

Generally described, my method consists in supplying the treating material at spaced time intervals, an'd in apportioned quantity toa boiler,

orto a battery'of boilers, under SU.Ch conditions...

that it is picked up finely dispersed in theq'fiowing feed water. The water-treating material'so used in apportioned supplyand gradual delive'ry desirably is a protein peptized *to a *conditionio'r reaction with an alkaline reagent, or with boiler .45

imperfect distribution -35 water alkalinity, primarily by reaction "witha suitable acid such as phosphoricand lactic'acids. Such material provides in the boiler a protective colloid tending to maintain precipitated "solids in suspension, as well "as reacting/with-calcium 50 and magnesium in the boiler water. -'I'he com position and efiect of boiler-treating compounds of this sort aredescribedfinUnited StatesPatBnt No. 2,271,499, issued tome January 27, 1942; "and ":to produce an intimate :and approximately uniform dispersion for boiler-treating material 'thereinQ. i

Fig. I'V is'a cross-sectional view, taken on a further enlarged ,scalegthr'ough the distributor element of the apparatus, organization illustrated. I f s Fig. V is an elevati nal View of the said distributor'element. r v

Fig. VI is an elevational view of a tubular screen cloth forming part ofthe said distributor element.

.a tank or drum containing boiler-treating material of suitable sort. From this container of the boiler-treating material in-bulk supply, a line '3 leads to the inlet end 4a ofapump 4,, and a dissuch material mayhere b'e taken as exemplary 455 charge line 5 leads from "the outlet end 4b of the pump. Pump 4 is actuated by a motor 6, which operates under the control of an electrical regulator indicated at I. This electrical regulator may be any of the many well-known commercial devices set to energize electrical motors during adjustably spaced time periods of definite duration. Whereas the usual adjustments of the pump 4 give regulation in the rate at which material is delivered, the electrical regulator gives a timed regulation for its delivery.

Discharge line 5 is provided with a valve 8 and pressure gauge 9, and is equipped with a valved distributor-replacement unit 8a through which it communicates with a conduit A forming a delivery line for a flowing stream of boiler trol the energization of the pump motor and the feed water. At the end of the delivery line 5 from pump 4, and within the bore of conduit A, there is a distributor element II] which is constructed to make gradual distributed delivery of the treating material to thestream of feed water in conduit A.

The distributor II] is shown in detail in Figs. III to VI inclusive of the drawings. The distributor structure includes a rigid tube II which also forms part of the distributor-replacement unit 8a. This rigid tube II is sealed in the wall of conduit A by packing gland I2, and is closed at its end by a plug I3. The rigid tubular portion I I of the delivery line which lies within conduit A is perforate, and is pierced by a plurality of holes I4. Surrounding tube II there is a, second tubular member I5, which may be flanged at its ends, or separate rings I9--I9a may be employed to have close contact with the outer wall of tube II and providing an annular space It between it and the outer surface of.

rality of hack-saw cuts I8. The size of the openings through the walls of the tubes and the mesh of the screen may be varied, because it is necessary only that they be of such size and so arranged that the treating material be delivered in a condition so fine that it is thoroughly broken up and finely dispersed in the stream of feed water during the periods in which it is supplied. For delivering a viscous material, such as the reacted protein material noted above, I have found that I may make the perforations I4 in the inner tube II of a diameter as small as inch and may use screen cloth as fine as 100 mesh, if a substantial pump pressure be employed. As a general consideration it may be said that it is desirable in delivering the treating material to the feed water that it be as finely divided as practical considerations permit.

To describe the conduct of my method, initially it is to be understood that the feed water fiows continuously, so that there is continual washing of the distributor element ID by the stream of feed water passing to the boiler, or boilers, which it feeds. In Fig. II of the drawings, conduit A is shown as a header from which,

With reference, as has become standard practice, to the hardness characteristics of the boiler water and the character of the treatment, it is decided what concentration. of the treating material should be maintained in the boiler. With reference to this the delivery rate of the pump operation of the pump; so that, for example, the pump will force the treating material from supply container I to the distributor I0 for 5 minutes in each hour. In such operation the treating material is forced through holes I4 in the inner tube I I of the distributor, and through screen-tube II in the space I6. Feed water passes in and out of the space I6 through saw-cuts I8, and washes out treating material of viscous nature which has been forced through the meshes of tubular screen I'I. As this washing action continues during a relatively long period, the treating material is thoroughly distributed in the feed waterand is carried into the boiler in a condition favorable to its further distribution in" the water already therein. Under the control of the electrical regulator this slow distributed supply of the treating material i automatically repeated during periods of uniform length and uniform spacing during the entire campaign of the boiler, unless changed conditions in the feed water or in the boiler render readjustment of the supply necessary or desirable. Such readjustment may be effected conveniently by alteration in the length of time during which treating material is supplied to the feed water.

It may be explained that if the treating material is pumped or poured freely into the feed water, in accordance with prior practice, the treating material in such case is not dispersed in a large volume of the boiler feed water, and

if it be viscous is not initially delivered to it in a physically divided condition. Much of the effectiveness of the treating material, and this is particularly true of viscous colloid-forming treating materials, is lost because of failure properly to distribute it in the boiler water, and boiler requirements for avoidin scale formation therein are greatly increased.

Attention has been called to the fact that the method of my invention, and also the apparatus embodiment thereof, are particularly useful in supplying viscous water-treating materials to a boiler in finely dispersed condition. This is for the reason that material of that sort is more difiicult to distribute in the boiler water than are the non-viscous water solutions of inorganic treating materials. Solutions of that latter sort are, however, fed with advantage by my method of time-controlled delivery and fine distribution. The modification of Fig. V11, now to be described, shows as an incidental feature of its organization a duplication of structure for supplying an solutions of treating materials.

The apparatus shown in Fig. VII of the drawings is arranged to use the pressure of a gr y initially delivered to the feed water.

head,-"in.place of pump pressure, to force the .treating material into the boiler 'feed, water in .distributed condition. It includes a drum or tank 20 ;mounted ataa substantially higher level than the feed-water conduit. A to which water-treat. -ing-gmaterial is supplied. A supply line 2| for treating. material leads to the distributorreplacement unit 22, which "carries. distributor 23 lying within-feed-water' conduit A. Supply line 2| passes. through valve 24, controlled by solenoid.

25. Solenoid-controlled valves of. .this sort are well-known articles of commerce and may be of the type shown in the patent to Butzler 1,934,- 791 or as shown in the patent to Waugh 2,021,248.

The solenoid 25 controlling valve 24 itself acts.

under the control or influence of electric regulator 26, which communicates with solenoid 25 by circuit 21, to regulate the duration and re- .currence of the periods during which the valve remains open under the control of its associated such. manner as to I produce 1 a solenoid. Such regulators as well known and I 2,021,248. An adjusting screw 28 is usable to deone type thereof is shown in the patent to Waugh termine the extent to which valve 24 is opened by solenoid 25, thusgiving accurate determination of the quantity of treating material deliv-.

ered from the drum or tank 20 during each of the recurrent supply periods. l This modified organization is thus the full equivalent of the apparatus organization of Fig.

I, and serves equivalently in performing the methd of my invention. The pressure head is merely produced by gravity instead of pumpaction, and the electrical timing is effective on a valve controlling the flow of material under the pressure head rather than on a pump creating it.

If, as is my usual practice, the drum or tank contains an acid-reacted protein, it is desirable similarlyto supply to the feed-water con duit a water solution 1 of an alkaline reagent, such as caustic soda, to react with the proteinate For this purpose Fig. VlI shows a partial duplication of the apparatus already described, comprising a tanker drum 20a for the alkaline solution, and

a valve 24a under control of a solenoid a in the line2la leading from the tankto a distributor replacement unit 22a, and a distributor ing introduction of the succeeding charge, and

betweenand during introductionsof the successive charges circulating. water around and past the exteriorof the enclosure and to a boilerin gradual washing of the treating material from the enclosure.

3. The herein described method of supplying treating material to boiler water in a boiler.

water conduit that comprises periodically deprises forming a measured charge of the mate'- rial in a thick viscous mass, delivering the charge to a foraminous container where it is restrained against bodily freedom, and distributing the material of the charge in a boilerwater conduit by causing boiler water to flow in a confined stream around and past the exteriortof' said container, said container extending across substantially the full width of the stream to produce a gradual washing: of the material from the charge, and periodically renewing said charge while continuously flowing the boiler water in 23a in feed-water conduit A. The solenoid 25a is shown as connected electricallywith electric cuit 21. i

It is to be understood that various changes may be made in the conduct of the method herein described and in. the structural. organization of the apparatus herein shown and described, with,- out going beyond thebounds of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: l

1. The herein described method of supplying treating material to boiler water that comprises delivering a measured charge of thick viscous treating material to aforaminous enclosure extending substantially across the full width of a boiler water conduit, maintaining a quantity of the material in the enclosure during a substantial time period, and during the said time period circulating water around and past the exe .50 regulator 26 by means of a branch 2111 from cir-f said stream around and past said container.

5. In a water-treating apparatus the, com

bination of a supply line leading fromia source of boiler-treating material to a boiler feed water conduit.and means for periodically forcing a suspension of boiler-treating material through the supply line, a foraminoustreating material dispersing distributor extending substantially across the full width of said boiler feed water conduit and connected with the supply line, the said distributor being arrangedto trap a mass of material delivered through the supply line and maintain it partially exposed to washing action by the body OfbOilGl feed water flowing around and tributor. 6. In a water-treating apparatus the compast the exterior or the dis- ,bination of a. supply line leading from a source boiler feed water of boiler-treating material to a conduit and means for periodicallyforcing a suspension of boiler-treating material through the supply line, a foraminous treating material dispersing distributor extending substantially I across the full width of said boiler feed water conduit and connected with the supply line, the

said distributor being arranged to trap a mass of material delivered through the supply line and I maintain itpartially exposed to washing action by the body of boiler feed waterfiowing around and past the exterior of the distributor,

said distributor comprising a central perforated terior of the enclosure and then to a boiler in such manner as to produce a gradual washing of the treating material from theenclosur.

2. The herein described method of supplying treating material to boiler water that comprises periodically delivering successive measured charges of treating material, in suspensiomt'o a 75 tube, a tubular screen surrounding said tube and an outer tube surrounding said screen, said outer tube having openings therein.

7. In a water-treating apparatus the com 7 bination of a supply line leading froma source I of boiler-treatingmaterial to a boiler feed water conduitand means for periodically forcing a :foraminousvenclosure extending substantially across ,thefull width-of amboiler water conduit, retaining material from each charge inthe en closure-fora substantial period of time preced suspension of boiler-treating material through the supply line, a foraminous treating material and past the-exterior of thedistributor, said distributor comprising a central perforated tube, a tubular'screen surrounding said tube and an outer tube surrounding said screen, said outer tube having openings therein, such openings extending at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said distributor and being of greater area than the perforations in said central tube.

CYRUS WM. RICE. 

